Revisiting Modern Drummer‘s May 1983 issue for my recent Terri Lyne Carrington post, I came across an interesting exchange of information in the “Ask A Pro” column between Jeff Wald of Maryland, MD, and Neil Peart.

Wald said he has combined two drum sets into one – including double bass drums. “My problem is that I can’t keep [my double bass drums] at an even pace most of the time. How did you learn to use [them] so well?”

Here’s Neil Peart’s answer:

…I didn’t have a hi-hat for quite a while when I first began playing, and…never developed a really strict discipline for my left foot. This has its drawbacks, but it did allow me to adapt to two bass drums easier than some drummers. It also had the effect of making the hi-hat very important to me once I did get one….

The key to mastering it is…practice! Once I decided that I mainly wanted to use the other bass drum for punctuating fills and for solo work, as opposed to playing “beats” with it, I concentrated mainly on my triplets.

[B]alance has a lot to do with the smoothness and ease of playing two bass drums, and I think you’ve just got to sit there and play rolls, and rhythmic combinations using your hands as well, until you, well, until you can’t sit down any more! Or until the neighbors drop hand-grenades down your drainpipe!